


What's for dinner? Who's coming over? What?

by BarbAndCo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Murder, Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, jet is a dad and everyone likes him, someone tell the atla showrunners to hire me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29918055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbAndCo/pseuds/BarbAndCo
Summary: All Haru wanted was to host a lovely dinner with friends. What happened was: an attempted murder, someone coming back to life, and four people finding true love — and it's all Jet's fault.
Relationships: Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 60





	What's for dinner? Who's coming over? What?

**Author's Note:**

> yeah. thanks to the group chat peeps. <3

Haru is a nice guy. Ask everyone who knows him, and they’d say he was a personable young man with a kind heart. He is incredibly well-liked because of his affable personality, as well as his charming, good looks. He is a pretty jovial dude, although he can be persuaded into a fight when the situation calls for it. Overall, Haru isn’t a person easy to anger nor does he have a penchant for violence.

So how does such a levelheaded and perfectly decent person end up almost killing his dear friend Sokka? The answer is simple: Jet.

To understand the story in full, one must go back to the beginning. Or, perhaps, a little bit after the end.

#### One Year After the War

Jet wakes up with a gasp. It feels like he's breathing air in for the first time. It feels like he’s been submerged in water for too long and now he’s breaking through the surface.

His senses are both overwhelmed and muted. Everything is too loud, too bright, too harsh but it didn’t feel real. He tries to sit up but finds he’s too weak. His arms feel like jelly and his legs are in a worse state. He manages to turn his head only to find a completely unfamiliar space.

_ Where is he? _

Panic doesn’t set in, in its place instead is dread. A million things go through Jet’s mind making his head hurt. His first thoughts go to Smellerbee and Longshot. He hopes they’re okay. The next is whether he’ll be okay. So, far the answer to that is a resounding  _ no. _ He tries to speak, yell out, but when he opens his mouth the only thing that comes out is a painful groan.

A gasp from the corner of the room draws his attention.

“He’s awake!” the girl exclaims. She rushes to his bedside and brushes the hair out of his face. He didn’t realize his hair had gotten so long.

His vision is flooded by a beautiful face, concerned brown eyes, and kind smile. “My name is Song. How are you feeling?”

Jet wants to say something smooth. Something witty. Maybe even something profound. All he can manage is a weak croak. The girl’s eyes widen, and she giggles.

“Oh, right.” She goes to the bedside table and pours him a glass of water. “Of course, your mouth doesn’t work yet.”

_ What’s wrong with his mouth?! _ The panic must have shown on his face because the girl giggles again but puts a placating hand on his arm, she squeezes gently.

“You’ll get back to sweet talking people in no time.” She winks. She helps him sit up a little bit, then she brings up the cool glass of water to his lips for him to sip and so he does.

“Thanks,” he manages to say. It’s rough around the edges. A little unintelligible but it’s there. He’s here.

She beams. “You’re getting better already.”

“What happened to me?” Jet’s head feels less like it’s stuffed with cotton and his limbs are finally getting some feeling back into them.

“You were in a coma for about a year.”

“What?! What even—what—"

“According to your friends, you almost died in a secret prison under Ba Sing Se. They brought you here. We’ve been taking care of you here ever since. You know some of the healers thought you’d never wake up, but I never lost hope in you.”

Before he can respond, a loud shout distracts them both.

“Jet! Jet! You’re awake! You’re finally awake!” The Duke shouts as he jumps up on his bed and hugs him as tight as he possibly can.

Jet finds the strength to hug back just as tightly, or as much as he can. “The Duke. Buddy, you’re here.”

“I thought you’d never wake up,” The Duke whispers, his voice garbled.

It is at this moment that Jet decides to get his priorities straight. Forget the war. Forget the Ba Sing Se. Forget about the Avatar and his friends. He’s got more important things to worry about.

“I’m awake now,” he says. “Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

#### Sometime Before the Dinner Party

Haru is a sentimental man. When he moved from his village to one of the bigger cities, he felt a little homesick, so he took up cooking. At first, it was just to recreate some simple dishes his mother used to make, and it made him feel better. Then, he started getting more adventurous. He’d try to copy dishes he’s had in restaurants with varying success.

The first time he made something for someone else, it was for his neighbors. He didn’t expect to see The Duke again after they escaped the Western Air Temple so one day finding out that he lived next door with his father figure slash guardian (?) was a fun coincidence.

Jet and The Duke lived alone and so he invited them to dinner one night and it just became a thing. The Duke is a great kid and Jet is pretty amazing too. He’s charismatic, witty, has a way with words, and especially easy on the eyes—Haru can admit he had a crush a small one, but Jet is so obviously hung up on someone else it isn’t even funny.

“Thanks for having us,” Jet told him one night as they were cleaning up. He smiled that charming smile and if Haru wasn’t already in love with Katara, he might have swooned.

“We don’t really know anyone here yet and The Duke seems to like you a lot,” Jet continued. “Just thanks.”

“Of course. Happy to help out friends.” Haru smiled back.

It’s always nice to have friends. Also, great to have guinea pigs testing out his cooking.

Now, it’s been a few months, and he’s finally ready to make his dreams a reality. He’s finally going to host his first dinner party. And just in time too because Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko are all in town. It’s going to be like a mini reunion.

“You’re invited to my dinner party too, you know,” he tells Jet as he hands over some food from his latest experiment. “You and The Duke.”

“Thanks, man. But I don’t want to intrude on you and your friends though.” Jet accepts the tray of food gratefully. He doesn’t have time to cook nowadays so having Haru be kind enough to send over his amazing cooking is a lifesaver.

“You’re not going to intrude,” Haru assures him with a smile. “You’re my friend too and I’d love for you to meet them.”

Jet smiles and Haru knows he’s gotten to him.

“Alright,” Jet says. “As long as you’re sure it’s not too much trouble.”

“It’s not, I swear. Plus, I think you guys are going to get along great.”

Haru, of course, is both completely right and absolutely wrong at the same time.

#### Two Years After the War

The problem with being in a coma for a year is that you miss so much. It took him months to catch up on what’s happening with the world not because they were slow to come by but because he kept passing out whenever he’d hear a big one.

Smellerbee and Longshot and Song thought it best to just give him the basics and nothing more. They also decide to keep any news about Li being Fire Lord away and out of reach from Jet. Jet doesn’t look up news about the Fire Nation on his own so the chances of him finding out that Li is actually Fire Lord Zuko are low and so are the chances of him falling into a shock coma.

On Smellerbee and Longshot’s final days with Jet and The Duke, they celebrate Jet’s one-year anniversary of being awake. In a year, he’s gotten his body back in fighting shape (even though there’s no one to fight) and mentally he’s better than he’s ever been. His emotional state he’ll get to sometime maybe in the next ten years.

Today though it’s bittersweet. Smellerbee and Longshot are leaving for their next big adventure and Jet is going to try his hardest to make a somewhat normal life for The Duke. They’ve talked about it and they all agreed it’s for the best. Jet can’t let his life be ruled by hatred and war (especially since the war is over), but he can’t just be a directionless wanderer; he’d go crazy that way. And they all looked at The Duke, young and happy, and they want him to have something they’ve never had a chance to get—a normal, happy life.

And he’s able to do that because some random old man. The scene went like this: Jet was trying to look for a job. It was during his job hunt that he stumbled upon an old man being hassled by a couple of stragglers. He stepped into the rescue and things got really weird from there.

“Hey, I’m Jet. Are you okay?” he asked the old man.

“I feel fantastic!” the old man jumped up, surprisingly spry. “And as thanks for saving me I will bestow upon you the riches of a king!”

Jet didn’t know what was happening. “You’re a king?”

The old man gave him a smile that was mostly teeth. “Yes!”

“Are you sure you’re not just some crazy old man?”

“Really, who’s to say?” The old geezer then laughed maniacally. He wheezed and chortled, and Jet watched in morbid fascination.

“I’m gonna go.” Jet tried to leave without being noticed but the old man grabbed him by the shoulder in a surprisingly strong grip.

“I like you, Jeet,” the man said.

“Jet.”

“Jode, I’m going to make you an offer and I really want you to think about it.”

“It’s Jet and I don’t accept anything from random insane people I meet on the street.”

“I feel like we’re kindred spirits you and I, Jit.”

“Jet.”

The man had this faraway look in his eye and Jet still can’t get the man’s grip off his shoulder.

“Like the son I never had.” The man’s eyes filled with tears. “The sons I do have are kind of jerks.”

Jet cocked his head to the side. “Who did you say you were again?”

“Ah, my apologies. I shall clarify. I’m King Bumi of Omashu!”

“What’s Omashu?”

“Ah, truly the man I’m looking for!” The old man cackled once more. “You will be heir to my fortune after I die.”

“Planning on dying soon?”

“Nope.”

“Cool.” Jet nodded. “You’re kind of insane, huh.”

“So, I’ve been told yes.”

That’s how Jet ends up with a house, a small fortune to his name and an even bigger one once Kung Bumi dies whenever that is, and the freedom to do whatever he wants to do. And apparently, what he wants to do is a lot of fatherly things mixed in with some vigilante bullshit.

#### Moments Before the Dinner Party

Everything is going exactly as planned. The feast Haru painstakingly made is ready to serve and he can’t wait for everyone to eat it. He still has some time before they arrive and he’s making his final touches to some dishes when he hears a knock on the door.

They’re early.  _ Oh no. _

“Hi, Haru!” Katara greets him as soon as he opens the door. “Hope it’s okay we’re early.”

Haru puts on a bright smile and lies through his teeth, “It’s totally fine.”

Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Toph pile into his living room but don’t stay there even though he just said they should. Instead, they wander into the kitchen and start messing with the food—or  _ trying to help _ as they say.

“It’s really fine guys,” Haru insists. “Just relax. I’ll have the food out in a minute.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Katara says brightly, grabbing the bamboo steamers.

“Yeah, we’d love to help.” Sokka is poking at the peking duck, mouth watering a little. Haru wants to smack his hand away.

Haru is an easygoing guy so he lets it happen. He lets Toph manhandle the very gentle sweet and sour fish. It is going to be fine.

“Hey, Haru!” a voice calls out from the living room. “Thought I’d drop by early to see if you needed some help.”

“Wow, everyone just decided to come early, huh.” Haru hides a tiny bit of resentment with a hearty laugh. This is fine. Everything is going to be fine. Did he say that already? Well, it is going to be.

“Is that—” Sokka whips his head to the direction of the voice.

“It is.” Toph smiles wickedly.

“Jet,” Katara gasps. The steamer full of dumplings fall on the floor spilling dumplings everywhere.

“ _ My dumplings _ ,” Haru whispers as he watches them roll uselessly on the floor.

Jet strolls into the dining room easy as he pleases and stops in his tracks when he sees just who else is joining Haru’s dinner party.

“How are you alive?!” Sokka points an accusatory finger at a wide-eyed Jet.

“Uh…” Jet blinks. “How do I answer that?”

“You guys know each other?” Haru is quickly losing hope that everything is going to be fine. There are only two kinds of people from Jet’s past that Haru has encountered so far; the people who want to kill him and the people who want to sleep with him.

These people did not look like they wanted to sleep with Jet—well, maybe one of them did.

Aang is the first one to get over his shock and launches himself at the man. Jet finds himself trapped in a bear hug with the Avatar, who’s taller than he remembers but still not quite as tall as him. His arms are trapped, and he can’t wiggle away even if he tried.

“I’m so happy you’re not dead.” Aang lifts Jet off the floor for a few seconds then puts him back down. It feels like he’s being hugged by a boa constrictor.

“You died?” Haru looked at him curiously. He went to poke Jet’s cheek.

Jet bat Haru’s hand away. “Stop.”

“Like actually dead?” Haru can’t hide the panic in his voice. His dinner party is going downhill, and it hasn’t even started yet.

“It’s a long story,” Jet dismisses.

“What happened to you?” Toph asks.

#### Three Years After the War

Jet is doing great. He’s got The Duke enrolled in a fancy school where he’s excelling at all his classes and made tons of friends already. Jet is still physically in the best shape of his life and mentally he’s sharp as ever. He’s still working on the emotional side.

Smellerbee and Longshot visit sometimes and when they do it’s always a riot and a half. The Duke always gets way excited when they come around and tires himself out before the night is over. He’s sleeping on Jet’s shoulder while him and the rest of the Freedom Fighters share updates about their lives.

“So, you seeing anyone?” Smellerbee asks.

Jet scoffs. “Like I have the time. I’ve got The Duke to take care of. I’m working on the whole orphanage thing. I’m too busy to date.”

Longshot raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t give me that. I’m totally over Li.” Jet is also not getting defensive. “I’ve slept—” he lowers his voice to a whisper when he remembers The Duke dozing on his shoulder “—with a lot of people since. I even got a princess to fall in love with me. I’m a hundred percent over it.”

Smellerbee smiles knowingly. “Keep telling yourself that.”

She and Longshot exchange a look and they change the subject which Jet is so thankful for. What Jet doesn’t know is Smellerbee and Longshot are keeping something from him. Something that could induce yet another coma.

#### Ten Minutes into the Dinner Party

The dinner is quiet and a little tense, Haru can admit that but it’s not horrible. Aang, Katara, and Sokka are looking at Jet like he just came back from the dead which is true enough. The Duke seems to notice the tension but doesn’t comment.

“The spring rolls are delicious,” The Duke tells Haru.

“Thank you.”

"So, Jet how'd you survive dying?" Sokka asks as a way of conversation.

“Sokka!” Katara kicks her brother under the table.

"It was the weirdest thing actually," Jet says. "I was in the Spirit World for a while, and I was walking around and then this girl with white hair told me she'd guide me back and so I followed her. I think she was the Moon Spirit."

Sokka launches himself over the table at Jet. "You don’t get to talk about Yue!”

“What the fuck?!” Jet yelps as he goes down as Sokka tries to strangle him.

“Have you tried the roast pork?” Haru asks Aang as Toph and Katara pry Sokka off Jet.

“I’m, uh… actually vegetarian,” Aang replies.

“Oh.” Haru gives a tightlipped smile. “Have some of the banana blossoms cooked in coconut milk, then.”

Aang slowly reaches over the table to get a serving of said dish while Haru gives him an unsettling smile. Just as he puts some of the banana blossoms on his plate, a boomerang knocks the whole dish to the floor.

“ _ My banana blossoms _ .” Haru cries a little bit but only on the inside.

#### Four Years After the War

“Did you have a good day at school?” Jet asks The Duke as they walk home. Picking The Duke up from school is one of his favorite things.

“Yeah, we’re learning about current international politics,” he says.

“What class is that?”

“International politics.”

“Fair enough.”

The conversation goes in tangents that Jet tries very hard to follow. He’s used to this by now but it’s still a challenge for him to keep up with the kid’s train of thought sometimes.

“Did you know they’re looking for a partner for the Fire Lord?” The Duke asks. Apparently, they’ve rounded back to international politics. Jet isn’t sure who the new Fire Lord is because he tends to avoid anything to do with the Fire Nation now. He also really doesn’t care.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, they’re having so much trouble finding him someone to settle down with,” The Duke says.

“They’re teaching you that in school?”

“No, the people at the cafeteria like to gossip.”

“Ah, that makes more sense.”

“You know I met the Fire Lord,” The Duke tells him excitedly.

“When did you manage that?” Jet smiles.

The Duke spins him the tale of what happened during the day of the black sun and how they met at the Western Air Temple and that the Fire Lord Zuko is a pretty okay guy.

“He sounds nice,” Jet says.

“He is,” The Duke agrees. “It’s sad though that he can’t find someone. One of my teachers heard that it was because Zuko’s still hung up on someone, but they died in the war. Kinda like you.”

Jet tries to sputter out a response, but The Duke has already moved on to other topics.

#### Twenty Minutes into the Dinner Party

Sokka has since stopped trying to kill Jet mainly because Toph grounded his feet to the floor. Katara is trying very hard to keep the peace.

“The duck is delicious,” Katara says. “And the dipping sauce is wonderful.”

“That’s for the spring rolls actually but thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

“Oh.” Katara takes a bite of the spring roll to avoid saying anymore.

Jet and Sokka seem cool enough but they are stabbing the orange chicken on their plate with too much intensity for Haru’s comfort. They didn’t even say anything about the fried rice. He worked so hard on that. He even let the rice sit in chicken broth beforehand.

“You okay there, bud?” Jet asks Haru.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Haru answers then whispers harshly to Jet. “I worked very hard on this meal so if you even think about throwing anything you will regret it.”

“Duly noted.” Jet nods.

“How’s everyone doing?” Haru asks the group to lift the mood.

Toph steps up to save the dinner party, living up to her title as heiress to the Beifong estate, she spins a tale of her travels and what’s happening at her metal bending school. Haru watches with almost teary-eyed relief as she single-handedly turns the mood around making it lighter, more casual, more vibrant. Haru breathes a sigh of relief as everyone starts loosening up and having a good time, and finally  _ finally _ enjoying the food.

There’s a knock on the door and as soon as Haru leaves the dining room to answer it chaos ensues once more. Sokka has gotten out of Toph’s dirt chains and is now trying to attack Jet once again.

“What do you know about Yue?!” Sokka yells.

“I don’t even know who you’re talking about!” Jet screams back.

The Duke and Katara try to break up the fighting, Aang is struggling to keep the food out of the way, and Toph is simply there enjoying her meal.

“Haru’s coming back,” Toph says as she sips her water.

Sokka and Jet break apart and everyone scrambles back to their seats.

“Hey, guys. Look who’s here!” Haru beams.

“Sorry I’m late I—” Zuko stops dead on his tracks. Right across the room is Jet. Haru stands awkwardly at the side as Zuko and Jet stare at each other.

“Jet,” Zuko gasps at the same time Jet says, “Li.”

“Fire Lord Zuko!” The Duke exclaims with a bright smile. He waves at him and Zuko waves back still flabbergasted because a ghost was sitting right next to the kid.

“You’re the  _ Fire Lord _ .” Jet is not freaking out, only he is and very much.

“You’re  _ alive _ ,” Zuko says with just as much feeling.

“So, you know each other too.” Haru looks between the two of them and he doesn’t know what to feel. All he wanted was a nice night with friends. Why was this happening to him?

“Who’s Li?” Aang asks.

Zuko takes a seat next to Sokka so he can ask in a furious whisper, “You said he died!”

“I said it was unclear,” Sokka points out.

Zuko does not kill Sokka right then and there only because Haru is giving him a pointed look that says,  _ Sit down or I’ll fuck your shit up _ .

#### Five Years After the War

Sometimes, not all the time, Jet thinks about Ba Sing Se. He isn’t thinking about the time he died or the fire benders. He thinks about Li. He wonders what happened to him. Did Li and his uncle get out of Ba Sing Se before it was taken over by the Fire Nation? What was Li doing now? Did Li ever think of him?

The answer to these questions: technically no, Li was ruling the Fire Nation, and absolutely all the time always.

Jet doesn’t know it but from across the waters a certain Fire Lord is looking up in the night sky and thinking about stolen kisses on a ferry.

#### Thirty Minutes into the Dinner Party

Zuko thinks he’s matured in the last five years. He’s a world leader after all, of course he’s mature. He has outgrown his childish ways of letting his temper and emotions get the best of him. At least that’s what he thought anyway until now that he’s faced with a ghost of his past, but Jet is not a ghost, he’s real and he’s alive, and he’s flirting with everyone at the table except him.

Jet hasn’t even looked his way all evening. Okay, so he’s been here ten minutes, but Jet won’t even glance at his direction. He knows because he hasn’t taken his eyes off Jet the moment, he walked in. He sees the way Jet talks to Haru, how they interact, how Haru smiles whenever Jet compliments his cooking.

Are they a thing? They look like a thing.

“Oh, these are the bean sprout spring rolls!” Jet exclaims after he bites into it. “I love these.”

“I know. I made them because they’re your favorite,” Haru says with a smile.

Zuko wants to explode they’re so cute. Katara subtly throws some water on his face. He glares at her, but she rolls her eyes and mouths  _ ‘Behave.’ _

He’s behaving. He’s perfectly well-mannered all things considered. He just discovered the boy he’s been mourning has actually been alive all this time and is apparently dating Haru, a perfectly nice enough guy whose only flaw at the moment was being in a relationship with the love of Zuko’s life. Zuko is fine. Everything is just great.

_ Good for Jet for finding someone after what he’s been through _ , Zuko thinks bitterly.  _ It’s not like I care that he probably didn’t even think about me the five years he’s apparently been alive and well. He’s fine. _

He watches like a hawk and so he sees how Haru is great with The Duke too. How the three of them are so comfortable with each other. It’s not like Zuko has ever, at one point in his young teenage life, fantasized a cute little domestic life with Jet or anything. Before he thought Jet was dead, he definitely didn’t think about going back to Ba Sing Se, reuniting with him and riding off into the sunset, marrying and raising kids. He totally did not think that. Ever. Never.

Zuko angrily chews his orange chicken. Wow, that’s good chicken. Haru is such a good cook. No wonder Jet has apparently fallen for him. He’s good with kids and can cook like a professional chef. Haru is such a catch.

“Keep chewing like that you’re gonna grind your teeth to powder,” Toph tells him under her breath.

Zuko chews slower but still his eyes never leave Jet.

Jet, to his credit, knows that Zuko, still Li to him, is staring at him and knows exactly what’s going on in that pretty head. Jet and Zuko may not have an extensive history but he knows what jealousy looks like on a person and Li is wearing it so beautifully.

How can Jet  _ not _ fan the flames?

He plays up the friendliness with Haru because he knows exactly what’s going across. Haru, bless his golden heart and pure soul, doesn’t seem to notice or if he does, he’s finally cracked and doesn’t care anymore.

Jet hands Haru the water pitcher and makes sure their hands touch and linger for longer than necessary. Zuko looks like he’s going to burst into flames.

“Would anyone like more iced tea?” Haru asks.

“Yes, please,” Aang says.

“I’ll be right back.”

Haru goes to the kitchen and Jet follows with a quick, “I’ll go help him.” To the rest of the table.

“Are you okay, Zuko?” The Duke asks after Jet and Haru leave.

“Just peachy.”

Toph snorts and gets kicked in the shin. She retaliates by punching him in the arm.

In the kitchen, Jet tries to convince Haru of his plan. He’s pretty sure the man wasn’t going to go for it, but he can try.

“You’re planning something,” Haru tells Jet before he even gets a word out. “I don’t like it.”

“You haven’t even heard it yet.”

“Stop. Whatever it is. Do not.”

“I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend,” Jet says.

Haru stops refilling the pitcher, sets it down on the counter, and gets into Jet’s face. It’s pretty hard to do because Jet is freakishly tall, so he has to look up a bit.

“ _ Why? _ ”

“I want to make Li jealous.”

Haru takes a deep breath. Centers himself. Find his inner peace. Nope, can’t find it.

“You mean Zuko? Again,  _ why? _ ” Haru asks.

Jet smiles his most disarming smile, and it works on Haru just a little bit. “Me and the Fire Lord have a history and I need to mess with him a little bit. As pay back.”

Haru doesn’t even pretend to think about it. “No.”

“Come on. You don’t even have to do anything. Just play along.”

“Why do you want to ruin my dinner party so bad?” Haru asks desperately. “I baked a cake for this for crying out loud. Do you know how hard it is to be ube cake?  _ Do you know?! _ ”

Jet moves forward making Haru move back. “It’s not too much to ask. I just need you to do this one little tiny thing for me. Please?”

“No.” Haru moves back to refilling the pitcher but Jet has other ideas. He blocks Haru’s way and moves the ingredients up on the top shelf.

“Go away, you gangly son of a bitch.” Haru tries to shove Jet to the side only to be out maneuvered. He hates Jet’s dexterity sometimes.

Jet put a hand over his heart. “If I could remember my mother, I’d be offended.”

Haru paused. “We don’t have time to unpack all of that. I have dinner guests to wow.”

Jet continues to be a long-limbed annoyance hindering Haru’s ability to make the most perfect iced tea. When Jet tries to step between Haru and the counter, Haru decides to move the ground beneath Jet’s feet to disastrous results. Jet takes a tumble and brings Haru down with him, by some miracle Haru is able to grab hold of the counter and Jet so they don’t crack their heads on the floor. The glass pitcher, however, doesn’t survive and crashes to the floor instead.

From the dining table they hear a scuffle and a crash, Zuko stands up abruptly and announces, “I’ll go check on them.”

Zuko didn’t know what to expect but seeing Haru and Jet in what looks like a very compromising position confirms all his doubts. Haru and Jet look at him, Haru is obviously mortified and Jet incredibly smug. Zuko’s face reddens with both embarrassment and also a good dose of jealous rage.

“You have things under control here,” Zuko says and promptly shuffles off back to the dining table.

“You okay?” Katara asks him when he sits down.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You have your murder face on,” Aang explains.

“My what?!”

“It’s that thing your face does when it looks like you want to kill somebody,” Sokka says.

“Please, don’t kill Jet,” Katara pleads. “We literally just got him back.”

“I’m not going to kill Jet.”

“Are you sure?”

The Duke wonders if he should be concerned at all but before he can voice it Toph tells him, “Don’t worry about it, kid.”

Jet walks back into the dining room holding two pitches of watered-down iced tea and looking very pleased with himself. Then, he takes one look at Zuko, Li, and feels bad immediately because he’s got that wounded look on his face. Well, no. He’s got that murder look on his face but behind it is that wounded look.

“Where’s Haru?” Zuko grits out.

“He’s getting cake.”

“I’m sure he is.”

“It’s great cake.”

“No doubt.”

“It’s actually one of my favorites too.”

“Good for him.”

Zuko glares at Jet and Jet glares back. The room is tense once more. Sokka, Aang, Katara, and Toph are trying to figure out if a brawl is about to break out while The Duke is more confused than ever.

“Hey, Jet,” The Duke whispers.

“Hm?” Jet doesn’t take his eyes off Zuko.

“What the fuck is going on?”

Jet blinks and looks at The Duke. “Ah, well—you see—”

“Who’s ready for dessert?” Haru pops back in with an overtly cheery smile. He’s holding a beautiful cake roll that just looks splendid.

“Finally, dessert,” Sokka exclaims. “I hope it’s not just fruit.”

Someone kicks Sokka under the table again.

“Ow! Katara!”

“That wasn’t me!”

“That was me,” Toph says.

Haru starts serving the cake and everyone goes back to the shallow pleasantries they’ve been exchanging all evening.

“The cake is good,” Aang says with a smile. “Not too sweet.”

“It’s a bit dry though,” Sokka comments. As soon as the words left Sokka’s mouth, everyone at the table knew he fucked up.

“Excuse me?” Haru asks, his smile turning brittle.

“I said, uh, I said the cake was… dry…” Sokka feels his heart beating faster and faster in his chest. The hair at the back of his neck standing and a chill runs down his spine.

“Dry?”

The rest of the dinner guests watch in horror as Sokka says his last word.

“Yes?”

Haru sees red. He finally snaps. The table is upturned and Haru starts throwing rocks at Sokka. Jet manages to get The Duke out of the way, Katara uses a chair as a shield, and Zuko does the same only at the opposite side of the room. Aang tries to defuse the situation but there is no stopping Haru when he sets his mind on something, he achieves it and tonight his goal is to murder Sokka dead.

Toph is just letting all of this go down happily eating her cake, hiding behind a wall so she doesn’t get hit by any stray rocks.

“Ah! Help! He’s gonna kill me!” Sokka yells.

“You kind of deserve it!” Katara yells back.

Jet watches Haru go absolutely mad and thinks it’s kind of hot. Zuko catches the look on Jet’s face and gets even more mad and jealous.

The only person having a good time here is Toph.

“Everybody just calm down!” Aang begs. It’s the wrong thing to say because everything is thrust into even more chaos.

The whole thing is a blur, really. Some rocks get thrown at Sokka’s head and maybe a boulder tries to crush his body, but Aang stops Sokka from being totally pulverized and also manages to calm Haru down enough to not destroy his house.

They end up taking Sokka to the hospital leaving Haru, Jet, and The Duke to clean up after the mess. Haru is sitting on the floor with a sad piece of cake, glumly stabbing at it with his fork. Jet sits next to him and makes sure his friend is alright.

“Are you upset because you almost killed Sokka?” Jet doesn’t clarify on whether Haru is upset for trying to kill Sokka or failing to do so. There’s no need. They both know the answer.

“No, it’s just—” Haru stabs at his slice of cake. “The cake  _ is _ kind of dry.”

“Maybe it’s because it was sitting out for too long?”

“Don’t patronize me.” Haru points his fork at Jet, thinks of stabbing him, then puts it down as reason wins over once again.

Jet removes himself from Haru’s person and slowly backs off slowly. “I’ll leave you alone with your thoughts.”

*

Meanwhile, The Duke finds the Fire Lord smoking on the balcony, that is to say, wisps of smoke are coming off his person.

“Your clothes are on fire,” The Duke says.

Zuko does not pause his brooding as he extinguishes an errant flame with a quick, angry exhale. His eyes are trained on the two Earth Kingdom men huddled over a plate of dry cake.

“How long have they been together?” Zuko asks or more growls out.

The Duke follows Zuko’s line of sight. “Haru and Jet aren’t dating.”

“What?”

“Jet doesn’t really date anyone,” The Duke explains completely missing the array of emotions flitting across Zuko’s face. “He’s been obsessed with some guy named Li he met back in Ba Sing Se since forever. Never really talks about it.”

Zuko is too busy freaking out about the fact that Jet is single that he doesn’t notice it is at this moment that Jet decides to walk over to them.

“Hey, Li!” Jet yells. “We need to talk.”

“Oh, shit. It’s you.” The Duke curses under his breath. “And I just said—oof. That’s cringe.”

Zuko’s head is spinning. Is Jet still obsessed with  _ him _ ? In the good way and not in the trying to out him as a fire bender way? Do they still have a chance? How many fucking Li’s does Jet know? He’s going to know none if Jet knows what’s good for him.

“I’m going to go.” The Duke starts climbing out the balcony. “Tell Jet I’m sorry or you’re welcome depending on how this goes.”

Jet steps inside the balcony just as The Duke jumps off. He watches the kid land effortlessly on the street below. He would be proud if it weren’t for the fact that he’s a hundred percent sure the little shit did something and is now trying to avoid him.

“I’ll see you at home!” The Duke yells over his shoulder. “Don’t kill each other!”

“What’s got him running off?” Jet asks Zuko.

“So, you’re obsessed with me,” Zuko says instead of answering.

Jet looks at Zuko then at The Duke’s quickly retreating figure. It clicks.

“You little shit!” he yells over the balcony. “You’re grounded until you’re fucking forty! You hear me?!”

Jet turns to see Zuko staring at him with those intense gold eyes. He takes an involuntary step back.

“You’re not over me,” Zuko states, harsh and matter of fact.

“The kid’s over exaggerating.”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since Ba Sing Se either.”

“That’s kind of sad,” Jet says. “You thought I was dead.”

“But you’re not,” Zuko insists. “We could make this work.”

Jet sighs. He looks to the heavens for guidance or patience or strength but all he gets is an eyeful of bright blue skies hurting his eyes. He steps around Zuko to lean against the railing.

“Make what work exactly?” he asks. “We had a moment on the ferry to Ba Sing Se and then we fought, I got sent to Lake Laogai, and then I died. There isn’t anything to work on.”

Zuko has never really been great with words. He can make an impassioned speech in front of a crowd of hundreds but when it comes to just talking to a person he cares about, he’s not the best. So, this time, he doesn’t try to stammer out a declaration. He doesn’t try to piece together poetry. He doesn’t try to convince Jet with words. This is not the time for eloquence. Instead, he grabs Jet by the collar and kisses him within an inch of his life.

The moment their lips meet everything else, the disastrous dinner, the jealousy, the misunderstanding, Sokka’s life threatening injuries, Haru’s homicidal tendencies—they didn’t matter anymore. The world melts around them as they stay intertwined, enveloped by each other.

Zuko has Jet’s tunic untied his hands exploring the expanse of warm soft skin. Jet’s hands are already inside the Fire Lord’s pants taking things even further when Haru catches them.

“Please don’t have sex on my balcony!” Haru shrieks.

Just pulls away from Zuko, hands still firmly on his ass. “He’s right. Come on. There’s a bedroom down the hall.”

“Don’t have sex in my bedroom either!”

“Well, where do you want us to have sex?” Jet asks.

“Not in my house!” Haru is slightly hysterical.

“You’re being a very unwelcoming host right now.”

Haru is so very close to committing acts of violence again. “Get. Out.”

The ground starts to rumble beneath their feet. Jet and Zuko’s self-preservation instincts kick in just as the balcony crumbles to dust. Jet grabs Zuko around the waist hurrying out before they fall to their imminent deaths. Still half undressed and looking scandalous, they run for their lives before Haru destroys his own house.

"Thanks for having us, Haru!" Jet says as they exit.

"It was a lovely dinner," Zuko adds. "You're a great cook!"

“OUT!” Haru roars.

*

“We are not having sex in the alley,” Jet says when Zuko pulled him into the nearest one to make out some more.

“But why?” Zuko has never been a patient person and he’s been waiting five years for this. “Do you have standards now or something?”

“I’m gonna sleep with you so apparently not.”

Zuko and Jet end up going back to the Fire Lord’s accommodations in Omashu and proceed to scandalize everyone in the nearest vicinity. Various noises, thumps, and the like come out of the room, some more violent sounding than the other (sometimes the noises even sound tender). 

The guards outside the Fire Lord’s chambers are embarrassed and also impressed by the two’s stamina. Incredibly impressed. Like holy shit they’ve been at it all night and it’s dawn. They’re still going. 

“Do you think they need like water or something?” the guard asks.

“Oh, you want to go in and ask?” the other one says voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I mean—”

“Don’t.”

“Alright.”

Inside the room, Jet rests his head on Zuko’s chest, listening to the steady heartbeat. They fall asleep holding each other as close as possible.

*

Katara goes back to Haru’s after making sure her idiot brother doesn’t die. She finds Haru cleaning up the mess.

“Do you need help?” she asks.

“Katara.” Haru startles. “I’m sorry about your brother.”

“I’m sorry about him too.” Katara bites her lip. “I really enjoyed dinner.”

“Please, don’t.”

“No, I mean. Aside from the whole Jet thing and all, the food was fantastic.”

“Oh.” Haru feels himself blushing. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Maybe we should do that again sometime?” 

“After that disaster, I’m definitely not going to hold a dinner party for a long long time.”

“Well, maybe it doesn't have to be a dinner party. Just maybe a small meal, less people.”

“I mean, I’ll still cook for myself. Just not you know maybe for that many people. And also maybe not invite Jet to things.”

“Oh for sure.” Katara nods. “But I guess, what I’m trying to say is maybe you should cook dinner for just one person? Maybe for me? Or maybe I can cook?”

Haru looks at Katara and Katara looks back at him.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” he asks. “Even after I almost murdered your brother?”

She smiles and shrugs. “Yes.”

“Okay.” he smiles back.

#### SIx Years After the War

Zuko wakes up to Jet’s yelling. He checks to make sure Jet isn’t being murdered and when he confirms it he goes back to sleep.

“I can’t believe it!” Jet shakes him awake.

Zuko groans and opens his eyes to look at Jet, reminds himself that he loves this man and to not hurl him out of the window because he just got him back. 

“Can’t believe what?” he asks.

“Katara and Haru are getting married!” Jet looks absolutely furious.

“That’s good news?”

“It is!”

“Why are you mad?”

Jet shoves the letter in his hand at Zuko’s face. “Read.”

Zuko sits up and reads.  _ Oh, that’s why Jet is so mad. _ Then, he reads it again and gets mad himself.

> _ Dear Jet and Zuko, _
> 
> _ Haru and I are glad to announce that we’re getting married! Isn’t it great? Anyway, we’re writing to tell you that you are  _ **_not_ ** _ invited to the wedding or any of the events relating to the wedding. _
> 
> _ Don’t get us wrong. We love you guys and we love that you’ve found each other and all that. But considering that the last time… we’re not blaming either of you two but both of your presence have a strong effect on people. Especially Jet. We don’t want one of his jilted lovers crashing in like last time. Or one of Zuko’s jealous tirades destroying furniture like the time before that. _
> 
> _ Or you two running off to make out somewhere you think is discreet but really isn’t (I’d give examples but there are too many to mention). _
> 
> _ The Duke is still invited though, don’t worry.  _
> 
> _ So to sum up, we love you. Thank you for being our friends. You’re not invited to the wedding. See you next time! _
> 
> _ Sincerely, _
> 
> _ Katara _

“This is bullshit!” Zuko says. “Her fiance literally tried to kill her brother!”

“It’s not my fault I’m alive and very likable!” Jet shouts.

Zuko and Jet exchange a look. A spark of recognition. A smile. A devious plan forms.

“Wanna get married a week before theirs just to spite them?”

“Fuck yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! k bye


End file.
